Interlocked panel structure



Oct. 18, 1966 J. PAVLECKA INTERLOCKED PANEL STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 27, 1964 i fi/5Q I NVE N TORI United States Patent 3,279,137 INTERLOCKED FANEL STRUCTURE John Pavlecka, 8797 Capital, Oak Park, Mich. Filed Nov. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 414,105 18 Claims, (Cl. 52275) This invention relates to hollow wal-l structures assembled of panel units and stress members therebetween by linear slidably inserted keys; more particularly, it relates to wall structures of this type in which transition members between angular walls and terminal members in the walls are interlocked with the panel units and with the stress members by linear keys duplicate of those in the walls. This invention is applicable primarily to full size houses and buildings and also to miniature replicas there of used for toys.

The invention of the particular wall construction and that of the wall intersection construction by means of transition members was first disclosed in my Patent No. 3,184,013 for Interlocked Panel Structure, which issued from an application filed November 4, 1952, Ser No. 318,692; the subject matter of the instant application is related to that of my applications of the same title Ser. Nos. 414,670 and 423,887, filed, respectively, Nov. 27, 1964 and Dec. 7, 1964.

One object of this invention is a complete hollow wall structure assembled of modular panel units, interjacent stress members, corner transitions, terminal members, and sealing strips, to form any plan of walls of a house or building with L and T-intersections between the walls, all interlocked into cohesive unity by identical linear keys slid into place endwise.

Another object is a hollow wall structure assembled of panel units on which intermediate stringers apart from the panel unit edges and juxtaposed edge type stringers at the edges are formed with equivalent keying formations, and the two stringer types occur on the facing panel units in either random or planned opposition one type with either the same type, or with the other type, and are interlocked with interjacent stress members by means of linear keys, and thereby create three basic unions necessary for a wall structure of ultimate utility, i.e., a union apart from the edges, at coincident edges or parting lines, and at non-coincident parting lines; furthermore, the two stringer types accomplish other novel results such as the use of panel units of both the same and different modular widths compatibly with each other, and indiscriminate or planned coincident or non-coincident parting line ocurrence.

Another object resides in a hollow wall structure wherein intermediate and juxtaposed edge type keying formations on stringers are used as interchangeable equivalents for assembling panel units into walls, and the same edge type formations are used for assembling transition members to the walls for effecting a juncture between rightangle walls; and, furthermore, the same edge type formations are used for assembling terminal members to the walls.

Another object is the use of transition members between angularly related inner panel unit rows at the corners hollow walls, such members being key-locked to the panel units and to stress members there'between, and being of a substantial thickness and thereby able to coact as vital parts with the stress members, and cause the stress members to coact with each other as one principal stress member.

Yet another object is to provide transition members between angularly related panel units at inner wall corners, which members are key-locked to the panel units at two planes of a quadrant the apex of which lies exteriorly of the wall for elimination of parting lines from "ice the corners, for accommodating sealing strips between the members and the panels units, and for obtaining either cove or splay faces on the members for appearance and elimination of sharp room corners.

Another object is the provision of marginal lands along and beyond the width of the keying formations on the panel unit stringers of the aforementioned two types, and on the aforementioned transition and terminal members, as well as on the aforementioned stress members inside the walls, for abutment of the former parts with the latter stress members either directly or preferably with the linear keys in engagement with these parts for augmenting their relative immobility and coaction as unitary stress members.

Yet another object is the provision, in the above outlined structure, of linear interlocking keys of certain species that can be made of a heat non-conductive material and thus will function as insulating barriers against flow of heat through the walls' The parts and their organization for realizing the above objectives and other useful results will be disclosed first in relation to all of the figures in the drawing forming a part of this specification, and then with detail reference to each of them.

The complete hollow wall structure of this invention is a combination of several related inventions, including that of the construction of the walls themselves, of the configuration of rigid transition members and their coaction at abutment lands with the other parts for giving rise to major stress members at the wall intersections, of the incorporation of the terminal members in the walls, of the interlocked and abutted three basic unions of the parts by means of two keying formations only, etc., which constructions and subcombinations are usable separately in other applications or products; jointly, they produce the subject structure of uncommon utility because in it they make it possible to use certain of the parts, viz., the stringers, the panel units, the stress members, the linear keys, the transition members, and the terminal members, in duplicate numbers and thereby cooperate to bring about a novel and complex product in a simple way from the least number of different parts.

The straight walls between their intersections are assembled of panel units-also referred to as panels-which are made up of sheets or plates of a modular width or Widths, and of keying formations and abutment lands therealong, which extend on the panel units and are referred to also as stringers; these are of two types, the intermediate type which extends at modular intervals on panel units wider than one module apart from the edges and from each other, and the edge type of which one extends at and along each lengthwise edge; there are several species of keying formations and of conforming keys disclosed in my above named applications for patents, and will be referred to presently; besides their primary function of engaging interlocking keys, the keying formations are'assigned a vital coaction between the two types thereof by the simple: though novel device of making the edge type amount to only one lateral half of the intermediate type, so that two edge formations or stringers juxtaposed to each other on two panels jointly represent an equivalent of the intermediate type formations; this device in itself would offer limited advantages, but in combination with the modular spacing of the two formation types it is possible for either type to occur on the facing panels in a wall in opposition indiscriminately to either the same type, or to the other type at any one interval; thus, two intermediate formations or stringers can occur in opposition to each other apart from the edges, two juxtaposed stringers in opposition to two others of the same type at coincident parting lines, and an intermediate stringer in opposition to two juxtaposed ones at non-coincident parting lines; between the stringer types occurring in these three combinations are interposed stress members which have keying formations in each of two of their profile extremities, and linear keys are slid into engagement with the extremities and with whichever of the stringer types confronts each.

This permutation at random or by design of the two equivalent stringer or keying formation types affords hitherto impossible results in that panels of different modular widths can be assembled compatibly in adjoining and in facing or overlapping relationships into a wall, the panel parting lines can be either coincident or noncoincident in the two wall sides, they can appear at any one modular interval, and the stress members within the walls and partitions can be of an identical profile, or be only of a reduced profile height in the latter, as will be disclosed hereinfurther, no special stress members are required for wall intersections; thus, walls of any plan and extent can be assembled by unskilled labor from panel units of the same or different widths with no problem of associating them for that result left up to the assembler.

In order to eliminate as much looseness from the slidably key-locked unions of the stringers and stress members, i.e., in order to obtain a relatively immovable relationship between them and thus cause them to coact as a unitary stress member of greatly superior strength because of the stringers added to their profile extremities, both the stringers and the members are formed with marginal lands along their keying formations and outside of their width whereby they confront each other at assembly thereat, and abut each other initially or under strain ta their maximum width; if interlocking keys with marginal shoulders on them are used, such shoulders fit inbetween the stringer and stress member lands and these parts abut against the keys and vice versa; one provision is that the lands alongside the stringers or keying formations be located at a distance from the face of the panels, such as on flanges of the stringers, so that the panels so protected against abutment can be relatively thin and thereby make use of metallic or synthetic panels practicable.

A complete wall structure must include intersection constructions of the L- and T-types between angular walls, and in order to make use for that purpose of the same stringers, stress members and keys as in the walls, and in order to prevent panels from meeting edge-to-edge at right angles to each other whereat the least misalinement would create uneven contact and open gaps, and last but not least, in order to obtain cove or beveled corners in rooms, transition members or stiles are made use of in at least the inner wall side, and are the same for both the L- and the T-intersections; the transitions are of a quadrantal profile the center of which lies outside the wall so that a definite separation of the parting lines in the converging walls is obtained; the transition profile includes reentrant mortise and tenon keying formations at and along each quadrantal plane, which formations are identical with those on one edge type stringer, and are juxtaposed to the stringer formations on the converging panels, and linear keys interlock them with two stress members in the walls disposed in two right-angle planes. The body of the transitions between the keying formations is preferably of a thickness greater than that of the panels to render them inflexible at their critical location where they tie together two walls, and also for the additional function of causing the stress members keyed thereto to cooperate with each other as a principal stress member for the intersection without any special reinforcements. One transition is used at each L-intersection, and two at each T-intersection, all being of an identical profile; at the latter location, each transition is keyed to one stress member in the peripheral wall, and to one stress member in the convening partition wall, the latter member linking both transitions with each other. At the L- intersection, the outer panel rows of the converging walls are complemented by another transition, keyed to the same two stress members as the inner corner transition, which may be either a special member or extrusion similarly as the inner one, of increased thickness over that of the panels, or it may be a panel unit preferably curvilinear around the corner to impart rigidity to it; a special panel of heavier gage or an extrusion may also be used in the outer panel row at the T-intersections to form a box stress member with the Wall stress members thereat.

Wherever walls are interrupted by openings for doors and windows, terminal members in the form of jambs are embodied in them; the profile of these members includes a transverse web and lateral webs which meet two wall panel units at parting lines and bear mortise and tenon keying formations in juxtaposition to the panel unit formations thereat, and linear keys interlock the terminal member with the panel units and with a stress member in the wall; the keys that lock the terminal members to the walls have the full height of the walls, as do the stress members, and above the door frames, and above and below the window frames lock panel units in continuity with the interrupted wall panel units.

Embodiments of wall structures assembled of the components above disclosed are shown in the accompanying drawing and are described next with reference to it; the drawing represents as follows:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a house or building wall structure, including intersections between angular walls and terminal members at doors and windows in the walls;

FIG. 2 is an end view of a panel unit having interlocking formations and abutment lands therealong formed integrally with the panel, as an alternative of the composite panel units of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of a modified construction of the transition moldings shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is another plan of hollow walls, showing variants of stress members, interlocking keys, and transition members in distinction to those in FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG. 5 shows an L-intersection with annular species of blocking linear keys in engagement with bulbous mortise and tenon formations on the facing panel units and on the interjacent stress members;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary portion of intersection construction using dovetail mortise and tenon formations on the interlocked parts, and linear keys of the blocking species therein;

FIG. 7 is a plan of hollow walls with transition moldings at the intersections forming splay room corners.

In FIG. 1 inner rows of panel units 1 and 2, 3-5 and 67, and an outer row 8-113 form a hollow peripheral wall and a partition wall branching off it; the inner rows are complemented at the wall intersections by transition members or stiles 14, 14a and 14b, and the walls are interrupted by terminal members in the form of door and window jambs 15 and 15a.

The panel units 113 consist of panels and stringers or mortise and tenon keying formations extending lengthwise thereon, the latter being either formed integrally with the panels, as shown by the panel unit 2a in FIG. 2, or being manufactured separately and made integral with the panels by processes such as adhesive bonding or resistance welding. The panel units, or panels that form the straight wall runs between the intersections are preferably of modular widths, only the panels 9 and 11 at the intersections being non-modular. The panels meet with each other and with transition members at the intersections at parting lines 16 in flush continuity or edge-toedge, and are held and even constrained in that relationship by the interlocking keys as described hereinfurther; for illustrative reasons only to indicate their location, the parting lines are shown as gaps in the walls.

The stringers, whether provided with attaching flanges or as strips on the panels, function as auxiliary stress members for them, and additionally as carriers of interlocking or keying formations of any one of a number of species of reentrant mortise and tenon types. Two types of the stringers are employed, and are made to coact with each other for certain vital new results; one stringer type on panels wider than one module is the intermediate type 17 which extends at equal intervals from the panel edges in any duplicate numbers according to the panel width, and is formed with a set of reentrant mortise and tenon formations; these are represented in FIG. 1 by a minimum of two dovetail mortises; the other stringer type 18 ex tends at and along the panel edges, and its essential characteristic is in that its profile is that of one lateral half of an intermediate stringer, with one mortise in it in this embodiment; two such tringers 1818a in juxtaposition to each other on two meeting panels jointly provide an equivalent of the keying formations of one intermediate stringer 17, i.e., a minimum of the two mortises therein. Another vital characteristic of both of the stringer types, whether bearing the particular mortises or any other species of the keying formations, is that they are formed with marginal lands, in this case shoulders 19, alongside and beyond the width of the mortises therein; each edge type stringer of course provides one such shoulder on the side away from the parting line.

The significance of the equivalency of the two stringer types resides not merely in that the same stress members can be keyed to them, but in that they can occur in opposition on the facing wall panels one type with either the same type, or with the other type and thus produce the three basic panel unions required for successful hollow wall construction from panels; thus, two opposed intermediate stringers 1'7a and 17b produce a panel union apart from the parting lines, two pairs 18b-18c and 18d-18e of edge stringers produce a panel union at coincident parting lines, and an intermediate stringer 17 in opposition to a pair of edge stringers 18-18a produce a union at non-coincident parting lines; because of this novel coaction between the two stringer types, in combination with their modular spacing whereby they can occur in permutative opposition to one another, several hitherto unsurmountable problems making panel wall construction difficult and impractical are resolved; the panel parting lines can occur at random or by design at any one interval, the panels can be of any modular width and will fit together compatibly to yield any predetermined wall length, and the parting lines in the inner and outer wall sides can occur independently of each other at any one interval in either coincident or non-coincident relationship; this wall construction is disclosed in my aforementioned Patent No. 3,184,013, in combination with a species of intersection construction wherein the parting lines occur in the corners between walls.

In the species of construction to which this invention relates to parting lines are located always at a distance from the corners and, furthermore, the structure is of the distinct type in which the stringers are of a minimal height and structural members 20 having the profile of studs or beams, i.e., functioning as stress members, are disposed interjacent the panel rows between the opposed stringers thereon, and are keyed thereto; to this end, the stress member 211 have a section with two profile extremities in each of which run two reentrant mortises in this particular embodiment, and alongside them extend marginal lands or shoulders 21, duplicating the keying formations and lands on the stringers; the stress members carry their shouldered extremities in proximity of the stringers, and linear keys 22 are slid endwise into engagement with both the stringers and the members; the species of the keys in FIG. 1 is that disclosed in my Patent No. 3,184,013, with a profile including a central web and a minimum of two reentrant tenons 23 on each side thereof; the web projects beyond the width of the tenons to provide mar ginal ledges therealong; these ledges are in contiguity with the stringer lands 19 and with the stress member lands 21 for abutment therewith either initially or under strain and consequent coaction of the interlocked parts as a unitary stress member.

Walls angularly disposed are joined at intersections, which is accomplished by transition members 14 and 11 at the respective inner and outer sides at the L-intersection, and by duplicate members 14a and 14b in the inner row at the T-intersection; both the inner and outer members 14 and 11 maybe panel units bent to a right angle, as the member 11 is in FIG. 1 and member 24 in FIG. 3, the latter being an alternative to the member 14 in FIG. 1; however, intersections are critical locations for stability and load bearing of wall structures, and additional stress resisting means is needed to eliminate flexibility such as panels have, and the configuration of the transition member 14 provides such means.

Both transition members 11 and 14 span the distance between two quadrantal planes at the ends of the converging walls, the planes meeting at an apex 25 located exteriorly of the walls, and locate the parting lines from which the wall stringers and stress members are modularly spaced; at these planes and parting lines both transition members are formed or provided with keying formations and a marginal land therealong and are engaged jointly with the panel stringers thereat by linear keys 22a and 2211 at each parting line plane; engaged by these keys are also stress members 20a and 20b which straddle the intersection in the quadrantal planes.

The location of the apex 25 at which the quadrantal planes intersect remotely from the walls is most significant because it affords a number of advantages; it eliminates a parting line at which panels would meet at right angles; it allows the use of the transition member 14 which not only separates the parting lines from each other to be able to meet the panels in flush alinement thereat, but provides room for the two sets of keying formations and marginal lands on the member; it allows the member to have a body adequate for accommodating sealing strips at the parting lines and, primarily, to possess the: necessary rigidity for constraining the converging panel units inflexibly, to coact with the stringers 187, with the keys 22a, and with the stress members Zita and 20b in each wall, and to cause these parts to function as a single stress member such as is needed at this wall juncture.

It is essential that the transition member 14 meet the panels in flush continuity at their parting lines by having its extreme portions coplanar with the panels, and between these portions is provided with either a curvilinear or beveled face as a cove or splayed corner molding, thereby eliminating sharp 'r'oom corners for improved appearance and easier cleaning; these results are afforded by the transition member 14 the outer face of which is an arc having its center at the quadrantal apex 25, and the interior face of which parallels the outer one, the web between these faces being of a substantially constant thickness greater than the normal thickness of the panels.

Transition members 14a and 14b effect the T-juncture between the peripheral and partition walls, and jointly with the interlocked parts create a substantial stress member thereat; these parts include stringers or keying formations 18g on the seven panels 1-4 and 8-10 converging to or crossing the intersection, six linear keys 22c, and three stress members 20c, 20d and 27; the keys perform the same two vital functions as they do at the L-intersection and at all panel parting lines, i.e., by means of their web they lock together the stringers and the transition members laterally, and lock these parts jointly frontally with the stress members by means of their dual tenons on each web side; they perform yet another vital function as heat and sound insulators when made of a suitable mater-ial.

A complete wall structure includes a number of terminal members such as door and window jambs 15 and 15a of a profile consisting of a transverse web and sides 28 and 29; these sides met two coterminous edges of the wall panels and carry keying formations and lands 30 in juxtaposition to like panel formations 1811; two linear keys 22e lock the member to the panels, and lock both of them at each parting line to one of the wall stress members Ztle; all of these parts are in opposition with each other at their marginal lands for abutment with the keys inbetween them.

Numerous variations are possible in the shape of the above disclosed parts of the complete structure, particularly in the matter of the keying formations and linear keys, in the shape of the transition members, and the next figures illustrate certain such variants in the same organization of the structure as in FIG. I.

In the wall structure of FIG. 4 the linear keys 3-1 are of the species disclosed in my copending application Serial Nov 400,116, and are distinguished by a reentrant mortise in each of two profile sides thereof, with marginal lands as shoulders along each mortise; each intermediate stringer 32, has a reentrant tenon 33 extending thereon and alongside and beyond its width extend two ledges in contiguity and abutment with the key shoulders; each of juxtaposed stringers 34-34a has a half-tenon reentrant on the side away from the panel parting line, both stringers representing an equivalent of one intermediate stringer 32; the stress members 35 key-locked to the stringers have on each of their two profile extremities formations and ledges identical with those on the stringer 32.

The transition members 36, 36a and 36/2 at the respective L- and T-intersections are of a minimal quadrantal span between two parting line planes the center of intersection 37 of which lies a relatively small distance exteriorly of the inner wall sides; While providing a cove molding in the corners, the members perform the same functions as the members lid of FIG. 1; the object in this embodiment is to obtain added strength at the intersection by a compact disposition of the stress members 35a and 35b and, moreover, by utilizing the outer transition member 38 as a substantial part of a tubular stress member created from the interlocked parts; to this end, its profile includes a web of a greater thickness than the wall panels, reentrant half-tenons 39 at and along two quadrantal planes, and flat lands along the half-tenons, for engagement and abutment with keys 31a; its curvilinear web contributes not only to the strength of the tubular stress member of which it is a part but to appearance as Well; sealing strips 4d are imbedded between the inner and outer transition members and stringers "34b keyed to them.

A stress member 4 1 pertaining to a partition wall-and duplicate transitions 36a, 36b, stress members 35c, 35d, and linear keys 31b cooperate in forming a box stress member at the T-in-tersection of the walls; in this role they have added cooperation of a panel unit 42 in the outer panel row, which is analogous to the unit 38 at the L in the mater of increased web thickness and the keying and abutment means; sealing strips 46a are lodged at the parting lines between the stringers and adjoining transitions and the panel unit 42.

In FIG. 5, linear keys 43 illustrate the blocking species as disclosed in my application Serial No. 423,887, and as applied to intersection and wall construction of this invention; reentrant half-tenons 44 on stringers 45 and on transition members 47 and 48 form jointly bulbous tenons such as would be carried on intermediate stringers in the walls; stress members 49 and 49a have reentrant bulbous mortises in their profile and marginal lands or shoulders 50 beyond and along the mortise width; the mortises are larger than the combined half-tenons 44 so that these half-tenons interfit with the mortises frontally, and the shoulders abut conforming lands astride the stringers and transition members half-tenons; the keys 4-3 have an annular profile which occupies a like clearance between the intenfitted parts, and block them from separation both frontally and vlaterally.

Another type of the blocking species of linear keys is shown in FIG. 6; combined half-tenons 51 on stringers 52 and on transition members 53 and 54 have a dovetail shape, and flat lands extend marginally along them; dovetail mortises in stress members duplicate of the member 55 have the same shape but larger in size, and into the resultant clearance between the interfitted parts are slid endwise linear keys 56; these include blocking portions between the reentrant flanks of the combined half-tenons and mortises, a web connecting the blocking portions, and marginal webs between confronting lands on the interlocked parts for abutment thereat.

Other modifications in the essential parts for the subject wall structure are embodied in them in FIG. 7 wherein stress members 57 are keyed to opposite stringers of the two basic and only types which make the structure possible, i.e., intermediate stringers 58 and their equivalents, combined edge stringers 59-59a, as they occur in three permutations of each of the types with either the same type, or with the other type on the facing panel units; linear keys 6% of the same species as shown in FIG. 1 are employed, which species as well as those of FIGS. 4 and 6 are particularly useful-as is the species of FIG. 5 when formed with marginal websbecause they prevent contact between the interlocked parts and function as heat insulators when made of a suitable material.

The transition members 61, 61a and 61b in this structure have a distinct profile characterized by portions coplanar at the parting lines with the exterior right-angle panel faces for flush alinement therewith and for tightly closed seams, and by splay faces between those portions; a concave inner face 63 between the right-angle abutment lands imparts to the transitions the necessary section as rigid ties between stress members 57a and 5712 at the L juncture, and between 57c, 57d and 62 at the T. In this embodiment these stress members so rigidly joined with each other are relied upon to provide the necessary strength, and since the outer panel uni-ts 64 and 65 are of the normal thickness of the wall panels, they may be continuous through the wall intersections by being provided with non-modularly located stringers opposite the intersection stress members.

I claim:

1. In a wall structure, modularly wide panel units alined at parting lines forming two right-angle wall sides, two nearest of said panel units in said sides having parting lines spaced apart from each other in two quadrantal planes intersecting at an apex located exteriorly of said sides at a distance therefrom, a transition member intervening between said spaced apart parting lines, stress members extending in said quadrantal planes along said parting lines in both wall sides, other like stress members extending along said parting lines in said wall sides apart from said quadrantal plane stress members, other like stress members extending along said wall sides at modular intervals apart from said parting lines on panel units wider than one module, said stress members bearing reentrant mortise and tenon formations at a distance from said panel units and from said transition member, reentrant mortise and tenon formations extending on said panel units intermediate said parting lines in opposition to said stress members apart from said parting lines, juxtaposed reentrant mortise and tenon means extending on said panel units and on said transition member at and along said panting lines in opposition to said stress members thereat, each two of said juxtaposed formations being jointly equivalent to one of said intermediate formations, and linear keys having a relatively thin central web, reentrant mortise and tenon formations borne on both sides of said web, said keys being in a slidable lateral engagement by said web and formations on one side thereof with said juxtaposed formations and being in a frontal slidable engagement by said formations on both web sides with said intermediate and said juxtaposed formations on said panel units and transition member and on said stress member formation in opposition thereto.

2. In a wall structure as set forth in claim 1, marginal lands borne on said panel units and on said transition member along and beyond the width of said mortise and tenon formations thereof, marginal lands borne on said stress members along and beyond the width of said mortise and tenon formations thereof, said panel unit and transition member lands being borne at a distance from the inward face of said panel units in opposition to said stress member lands.

'3. In a wall structure as set forth in claim 2, said stress member marginal lands and said panel unit and transition member lands in opposition thereto being spaced apart therefrom, and marginal lands borne on two sides of said linear keys along and beyond the width of said mortise and tenon formations thereof, said keys occupying the space between said lands in opposition and said key lands confronting said lands in opposition.

4. In a wall structure as set forth in claim 2, said transition member having an inner face between said marginal lands along said mortise and tenon formations thereof, and having an exterior face in coplanar alinement with said panel units at said parting lines in rightangle planes, said inner and said exterior faces forming a web of a thickness greater than the thickness of said panel units.

5. In a wall structure, panel units alined at parting lines forming two right-angle wall sides converging to a corner, two of said panel units having par-ting lines spaced apart from each other at said corner, a transition member at said corner lying between two quadrantal planes through said parting lines and meeting with each other at an apex located exteriorly of said wall sides, a terminal member extending along a parting line at the end panel unit in at least one of said wall sides, structural members extending along said parting lines, said members bearing reentrant mortise and tenon formations at a distance from said panel units, reentrant mortise and tenon formations extending on said panel units, on said transition member and on said terminal member in juxtaposition to each other at and along said parting lines, marginal lands borne along and beyond the width of said formations on said panel units and transition and terminal members at a distance from the face of said panel units, marginal lands borne on said structural members in opposition to said panel unit and transition and terminal member lands, and linear keys having formations on two sides thereof congruent with said juxtaposed panel unit and transition and terminal members formations and with said structural member formations and being in a slida'ble engagement therewith frontally and laterally with each pair of said formations in juxtaposition.

6. In a wall structure as set forth in claim 5, said marginal lands borne on said structural members in opposition to said panel unit and transition and terminal member lands being spaced by a clearance therefrom, and marginal lands extending on said linear keys along and beyond the width of said formations thereof, said keys occupying said clearance and said lands thereof confronting said panel unit and transition and terminal member lands on one side'thereof and said structural member lands on the other side.

7. In a wall structure, two panel units disposed at right angles to each other and having parting lines extending in two quadrantal planes, said planes intersecting at an apex located exteriorly to the outer panel unit face at a distance therefrom, a transition member in continuity with said panel units at said parting lines, two structural members extending in said quadrantal planes each at a distance from one parting line, reentrant mortise and tenon formations borne on said structural members along said parting lines, reentrant mortise and tenon formations borne on said panel units and on said transition member in juxtaposition to each other and in opposition to said structural member formations, linear keys having reentrant mortise and tenon formations on two sides thereof and being in a .slidable frontal engagement with said formations in opposition and in a lateral engagement with said formations in juxtaposition, marginal lands on said panel units and on said transition member along and beyond the width of said formations thereof and at a distance from the panel unit inward side, and marginal lands on said structural members astride said formations thereof and in opposition to said panel unit and transition member formations for abutment thereagainst and inflexibility of said transition member in relation to said panel units.

8. In a wall structure .as set forth in claim 7, said marginal lands on said panel units and transition member being spaced apart from said structural member marginal lands, and said linear keys having marginal lands thereon interposed between said spaced lands.

9. In a wall structure as set forth in claim 8, said transition member having the body thereof between said marginal lands along said mortise and tenon formations of a thickness greater than the normal thickness of said panel units for inflexibility of said panel units and said structural members in said quadrantal planes relatively to each other.

10. In a wall structure, two pairs of spaced apart facing panel units in two hollow walls converging to a corner intersection, said panel units having parting lines in two quadrantal planes intersecting at an apex located exteriorly to the inner wall sides at a distance therefrom, a transition member in continuity with the two panel units at the inner wall sides intervening between said parting lines thereof, a transition member in continuity with the two panel units at the outer wall sides intervening between said parting lines thereof, two stress members extending in said quadrantal planes, reentrant mortise and tenon formations borne on said stress members along said parting lines at a distance therefrom, reentrant mortise and tenon formations borne on said panel units and on each transition member in juxtaposition with each other and in opposition to said stress member formations, marginal lands borne on said stress members along and beyond the width of said formations thereof and at a distance from the panel unit inward side, marginal lands on said panel units and on each transition member along and beyond the width of said juxtaposed formations thereof and in confronting positions with said stress member lands, and linear keys having reentra-nt mortise and tenon formations on two sides thereof and being in a lateral slidable engagement with said panel unit and transition member juxtaposed formations and in a frontal slidable engagement with said juxtaposed formations and stress member formations.

11. In a wall structure as set forthin claim It), said transition member between said inner wall sides and said transition member between said outer wall sides having the body thereof between said marginal lands of a thickness greater than the normal thickness of said panel units.

112. In a wall structure, spaced apart facing panel units forming a peripheral wall and .a partition wall and converging to an intersection of said walls, two panel units in the peripheral wall inner side having parting lines distanced from each other, two facing partition panel units having parting lines distanced each from one of said peripheral wall par-ting lines, two planes laid transversely through said peripheral wall parting lines and a plane laid through both of said partition wall parting lines forming two pairs of quadrantal planes intersecting at two apices locate-d exteriorly to the peripheral and partition wall sides at a distance from both, two transition members of quadrantal span in continuity each with one peripheral wall panel unit and one partition panel unit at said parting lines thereof and intervening therehetween, a panel unit in the peripheral outer wall side complementing the wall intersection, two stress members extending in said peripheral wall transverse planes, one stress memher extending in said partition parting line plane, reentrant mortise and tenon formations borne on said stress members along said parting lines at a distance therefrom and from said peripheral outer side panel unit, reentrant mortise and tenon formations borne on said peripheral panel unit in opposition to said two stress members, reentrant mortise and tenon formations borne on said panel units and on said transition members in juxtaposition with each other and in opposition to said stress members, marginal lands borne on said panel units and on each transition member along and beyond the width of said juxtaposed formations thereof and at a distance from the panel unit inward side, marginal lands borne on said peripheral panel unit along and beyond the width of said formations thereof and at a distance from the panel unit inward side, marginal lands borne on said stress members in confronting positions with said panel units and transition member lands, and linear keys having reentrant mortise and tenon formations on two sides thereof, said keys being in a lateral slidable engagement with said juxtaposed panel unit and transition member formations and being in a frontal slidable engagement with said juxtaposed formations and with said peripheral panel formations at one key side and with said stress member formations at the other.

13. In a wall structure as set forth in claim 12, said two transition members and said panel unit in the outer wall side complementing the wall intersection being each of a thickness greater than the normal thickness of said peripheral and partition wall panel units.

14. A wall structure including, panel units of modular widths in spaced apart facing rows forming hollow walls and Land T-intersections therebetween, two panel units in at least one wall having coterminous edges, a terminal member extending along and across said edges, two angularly related panel units at each L-intersection inner corner and two pairs of angular related panel units at each T-intersection inner corners having edges in two quadrantal planes intersecting at an apex located exteriorly of said walls at a distance from each, a transition member intervening between each two of said quadrantal planes, said transition member having an exterior face meeting said panel unit edges in said planes, a panel unit complementing the outer panel unit row at each L-intersection between said quadrantal planes, a panel unit complementing the outer panel unit row at each T-intersection between two parallel planes each from one quadrantal pair thereof at said inner corners, intermediate reentrant mortise and tenon formations extending on said panel units at modular intervals apart from the edges thereof and from each other on panel units wider than one module, reentrant mortise and tenon formations juxtaposed to each other at and along the edges of each tWo meeting panel units and of each panel unit and said terminal member and said transition member, each two juxtaposed formations being jointly equivalent to one intermediate formation, said intermediate and juxtaposed formations occurring on the facing panel units in said walls in indiscriminate opposition of one to either a like one or to the other one apart from the edges and at coincident and non-coincident edges in said facing rows, stress members in said walls having each two profile extremities and reentrant mortise and tenon formations thereon in opposition to said intermediate and juxtaposed formations on said panel units and on said panel units and each terminal and transition member, and linear keys bearing reentrant mortise and tenon formations on two sides thereof, said keys being in a slidable lateral engagement on one side with said juxtaposed formations and in a frontal engagement on the same side with said intermediate and said juxtaposed formations and on the other side with said stress member formations.

15. A wall structure as set forth in claim 14, marginal lands borne on said panel units and terminal and transition member along and beyond the width of said intermediate and said juxtaposed formations thereof, marginal lands borne on said stress members along and beyond the width of said formations thereof in opposition to said panel unit and terminal member and transition member lands, and marginal lands borne on said linear keys inbetween said lands in opposition and in contiguity therewith.

16. A wall structure as set forth in claim 14, said transition member at each L-intersection and the two like transition members at each T-intersecti-on having a body between said mortise and tenon formations thereof at said quadrantal planes of a thickness greater than the normal thickness of said wall panel units.

17. A wall structure as set forth in claim 14, said panel unit complementing the outer panel unit row at each L-intersection, and said panel unit complementing the outer panel unit row at each T-intersection having a thickness greater than the normal thickness of said wall panel units. 1

18. A wall structure as set forth in claim 14, said linear keys having a relatively thin central transverse web, said web carrying said reentrant mortise and tenon formations on the two sides thereof and performing said lateral lockmg of said juxtaposed panel unit and terminal and transition member formations.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD W. COOKE, JR., Primary Examiner, 

1. IN A WALL STRUCTURE, MODULARLY WIDE PANEL UNITS ALINED AT PARTING LINE FORMING TWO RIGHT-ANGLE WALL SIDES, TWO NEAREST OF SAID PANEL UNITS IN SAID SIDES HAVING A PARTING LINES SPACED APART FROM EACH OTHER IN TWO QUADRANTAL PLANES INTERSECTING AT AN APEX LOCATED EXTERIORLY OF SAID SIDES AT A DISTANCE THEREFROM, A TRANSITION MEMBER INTERVENING BETWEEN SAID SPACE APART PARTING LINES, STRESS MEMBERS EXTENDING IN SAID QUDADRANTAL PLANES ALONG SAID PARTING LINES IN BOTH WALL SIDES, OTHER LIKE STRESS MEMBERS EXTENDING ALONG SAID PARTING LINES IN SAID WALL SIDES APART FROM SAID QUADRANTAL PLANE STRESS MEMBERS, OTHER LIKE STRESS MEMBERS EXTENDING ALONG SAID WALL SIDES AT MODULAR INTERVALS APART FROM SAID PARTING LINES ON PANEL UNITS WIDER THAN ONE MODULE, SAID STRESS MEMBERS BEARING REENTRANT MORTISE AND TENON FORMATIONS AT A DISTANCE FROM SAID PANEL UNITS AND FROM SAID TRANSITION MEMBER, REENTRANT MORTISE AND TENON FORMATIONS EXTENDING ON SAID PANEL UNITS INTERMEDIATE SAID PARTING LINE IN OPPOSITION TO SAID STRESS MEMBERS APART FROM SAID PARTING LINES, JUXTAPOSED REENTRANT MORTISE AND TENON MEANS EXTENDING ON SAID PANEL UNITS AND ON SAID TRANSITION MEMBER AT AND ALONG SAID PARTING LINES IN OPPOSITION TO SAID STRESS MEMBERS THEREAT, EACH TWO OF SAID JUXTAPOSED FORMATIONS BEING JOINTLY EQUIVALENT TO ONE OF SAID INTERMEDIATE FORMATIONS, AND LINEAR KEYS HAVING A RELATIVELY THIN CENTRAL WEB, REENTRANT MORTISE AND TENON FORMATIONS BORNE ON BOTH SIDES OF SAID WEB, SAID KEYS BEING IN A SLIDABLE LATERAL ENGAGEMENT BY SAID WEB AND FORMATIONS ON ONE DIE THEREOF WITH SAID JUXTAPOSED FORMATIONS AND BEING IN A FRONTAL SLIDABLE ENGAGEMENT BY SAID FORMATIONS ON BOTH WEB SIDES WITH SAID INTERMEDIATE AND SAID JUXTAPOSED FORMATIONS ON SAID PANEL UNITS AND TRANSITION MEMBER AND ON SAID STRESS MEMBER FORMATIONS IN OPPOSITION THERETO. 